Positive Education: what, why, and how. Dr Lisa Kettler, Trinity College

Transcription

1 Positive Education: what, why, and how. Dr Lisa Kettler, Trinity College

2 Overview A tiny introduction to Positive Psychology What is Positive Education? Is there an evidence base? One school s journey with implementation

3 What is Positive Psychology? A branch of psychology devoted to the study of human character strengths, possibilities, positive emotion and positive relationships. Is interested in building on and enhancing what s right as well as working to alleviate what s wrong. Aiming to assist people to cultivate what is best within themselves (Martin Seligman)

4 Flourishing Theory of Wellbeing (Seligman) Components of Flourishing: Positive Emotion Engagement Relationships Meaning and Purpose Accomplishment However, up to 14% of young people are suffering from mental health problems including anxiety, depression, conduct disorder and psychoses. Suicide is the leading cause of death amongst young people aged years In South Australian high schools in 2009, less than 40% of all students were flourishing

5 Why should this be the business of schools? Collaborative for Social and Emotional Learning research team (Durlak, et al., 2008) examined 207 studies of social-emotional learning programs and found that students who participated in such programs at school: Improved significantly in their social and emotional skills and their attitudes to themselves, others, and school Displayed more classroom pro-social behaviour and fewer disruptive and aggressive behaviours Experienced lower levels of depression Scored 11 percentile points higher on standardized achievement tests, relative to peers not receiving the program.

6 Gross National Happiness is the measure rather than GDP RCT Participation in Wellbeing curriculum resulted in 0.53sd improvement in academic outcomes as well as improvements in wellbeing.

7 Positive Psychology Principles in Education Positive Education Skills to respond effectively to adversity Skills to develop and sustain Personal Wellbeing PERMA NOT Happyology! Positive Education at its best will be.. Lived and modelled by staff Explicitly taught Implicitly embedded Lived by students

8 Teaching, learning and living. PERMA and how to build it. Character strengths and character development. Emotional Literacy Kindness, empathy and gratitude. Mindful attention and awareness Mental fitness skills (skills we know from CBT and ACT, but now delivered universally)

9 What factors does research say are most strongly related to resilience? (Masten and Reed 2005) Child Family Others Community Strong cognitive skills and attention Close, Caring Close relationship with a competent, caring adult Effective schools Effective problem solving Authoritative parenting Prosocial peer relationships Safe neighbourhoods Optimism, meaning, faith High cohesion/low discord Good social services Self efficacy, positive sense of self Parent involvement in education and life Good public health and healthcare Self regulation and impulse control Ties to prosocial organisations Valued talents Humour

10 More about the Positive education Components.

11 Strengths of Character

12 Emotional Literacy Recognising and labelling emotions in self and others Acceptance of emotions Responding appropriately to emotions links between emotions and reactions

13 Kindness, Gratitude Kindness Intentional acts of kindness towards others Our own study found effects for improved wellbeing at follow up and some academic grade advantage for those practicing kindness Gratitude The act of being grateful for or appreciating the people, circumstances or conditions of one s life Can be taught as a skill in children Simple activities can have lasting effects Significant benefits in wellbeing, sustained gains

14 Mindfulness Cultivating attention in the present moment On purpose Without judgement about the way our minds respond to our efforts to direct our attention Learning to be anchored in our body and senses Cultivating awareness of our mind and its actions Cultivating awareness of our emotional experience, both positive and negative Heartfulness About being, not doing

15 Does it work? What does it do for students? Mindfulness in Schools UK MindUP Evaluation US

16 Mindfulness changes brain structure Increases grey matter in the pre-frontal cortex Improved self-regulation, decision making Decreased grey matter in the amygdala Reduced reactivity Increases grey matter in the hippocampus Improvements in retention of new information, linked to reduced emotionality and reactivity.

17 Mental Fitness Skills Links between thoughts, emotions and behaviours Cognitive therapy strategies such as recognising negative automatic thoughts and challenging unhelpful cognitions Problem solving skills Recognising and defusing catastrophic thinking Living congruently with values and beliefs Acceptance of difficult emotions

18 So that s great, but what does it look like in action? Start with a strategic plan Build a lot of good will Get some people trained Try some things out toe dipping Measure whatever you can get approval to measure Build in actual lessons Here s what it looks like.

19 Staff Strengths board staffroom display

20 Growing strengths language

21 Positive Education Lessons First trial of dedicated Positive Education Lessons for all year 5 and 6 students across the College, Taught across one semester. Year 5 focus Character strengths Positive Emotions (emotional literacy and self-regulation) Positive Relationships Positive Health Year 6 Focus Mindset Signature Strengths Body image / sleep / nutrition/ Exercise Positive purpose linked to a service unit Accomplishment (optimistic focus)

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23 Year 6 Random Acts of Kindness

24 Resilience lessons a natural opportunity

25 Mindset

26 Gratitude board Middle School

27 Year 10 students practicing Mindfulness

28 Some resources we are using

29 Public lecture 2014

30 Public lecture 2015

31 Wellbeing for year 4-6 Average EPOCH Scores for School VS Overall Sample School Engagement Perseverance Optimism Connectedness Happiness Total Sample School Number of Students: 166

32 Thank you! And contact details: Lisa Kettler, College Psychologist Phone: